PAKATAN Harapan will not gain much by pulling out from the memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob, because such a move will have no effect on the country’s political scene, political pundits said.

In fact, they said, tearing up the MOU would only lead to further uncertainties within the opposition bloc.

Calls have been made by certain quarters for PH to reconsider the coalition’s agreement with the prime minister after several high-level requests directed at Ismail went unheeded.

One of the calls is to sack Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) chief commissioner Azam Baki, currently at the centre of a scandal over share dealings.

Despite statements from senior figures in PH asking the coalition to reconsider its position over to the MOU, the pact has kept its side of the bargain, which is ostensibly to create political stability and introduce institutional reforms.

PKR communications director Fahmi Fadzil said recently on Instagram that PH would not be walking away as the government would be tabling the anti-party hopping law come February.

“This law is one of the core issues signed in the MOU and will be tabled in February.

“Despite calls from many for PH to cancel the agreement because of the government’s poor performance, the anti-party hopping law is an important issue for our democracy,” the Lembah Pantai MP said.

Veteran political observer Sayuti Omar said that even if PH decided to withdraw, it would not necessarily land the opposition back in power.

He added that opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim may not be able to convince others to support him as prime minister.

“It is a non-issue. Even if they decided to pull out, there is no significant chance for the opposition.

“There may be a new prime minister, but it won’t be Anwar Ibrahim. At the moment, he has no support from MPs and the Council of Rulers do not favour him either.

“Although politically, there should be a reaction from the opposition when the government is not listening to your demands,” he said.

Sayuti said PH’s mistake was signing the MOU with Ismail in the first place.

“Although Fahmi made sense, the MOU was a mistake. It was just an escape for the opposition after not being able to drum up the numbers (to regain control of Parliament) but it indeed reduced the political temperature,” he said.

The MOU was signed by Ismail and PKR president Anwar Ibrahim, Amanah chairman Mohamad Sabu, DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng and Upko president Wilfred Madius Tangau on September 13, 2021, just after Ismail became the prime minister in face of political instability.

The MOU has key items: strengthening the country’s Covid-19 plan, institutional transformation, parliamentary reforms, judicial independence, the Malaysia Agreement 1963, and the formation of the steering committee.

Under the agreed deal, the government has promised to deliver three major reforms by this year.

They are the anti-party hopping law, the implementation of Undi18 and automatic voter registration, and a 10-year term limit on the prime minister’s tenure.

Don’t act on emotions

Mazlan Ali of Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) said that the Azam Baki scandal has nothing to do with Ismail’s administration.

“That is Azam’s personal issue and it is being looked at. It has nothing to do with the government unless there is a clear scandal like 1MDB, in which the previous government was directly involved.

“There is no need for PH to pull out, plus the anti-party hopping law is also an important tool to secure stability and uphold democracy.”

He said the public should also not get carried away emotionally.

“In politics, there needs to be strategy and less emotion. Now is not the time for PH to withdraw from the MOU,” he said.

On the other hand, Prof Ahmad Marthada Mohamed – head of Universiti Utara Malaysia’s governance and integrity unit – said PH could not afford to cancel the MOU when the coalition is still weak.

“PH can cancel it but what good will it bring? The coalition is struggling after back-to-back defeats in Malacca and Sarawak elections.

“It needs to calculate moves wisely if it does not want another catastrophic incident recurring. It is doing the right thing by not withdrawing,” he said.

Valid reasons to pull out

However, Ilham Centre executive director Hisommudin Bakar felt there are valid reasons why PH would want to cancel the agreement.

He said PH would be seen as an ineffective bloc if it was not able to pressure the government.

“There are valid reasons behind the pressure for PH to cancel the MOU. The opposition does not seem to be able to provide checks and balances in integrity cases. We are not seeing its effectiveness.

“In the (decision to call the) Johor elections, the opposition was not consulted, which brings no benefit to PH.

“PH should consider cancelling the MOU and be the voice of the people,” he explained.

Meanwhile, Activist Mandeep Singh said the anti-party hopping law was PH’s last straw to back Ismail.

He added that PH must put pressure on the government to allow a transparent investigation of Azam.

“As for now, PH should stay but if the government does not table the anti-party hopping law as promised, then PH needs to pull out. There is no excuse.

“At this moment what they can do is demand a transparent investigation of Azam, be it an RCI, a parliamentary select committee, or independent committee. Azam must be suspended, at least,” he said.

The former Bersih secretariat manager added that PH must also demand a halt to state elections.

“If the MOU states general election is due after July, what is the point of holding state elections?

“Why is Umno – a party to which Ismail belongs – asking for state elections when they still have a majority?” he asked. – January 25, 2022.